theDoor SEPTEMBER 2010
7
Family TWO families who packed their camping gear and headed to New Wine for the first time this year describe their experiences. or some years we had talked about going to New Wine but had never booked. However, this year God had decided the Washbourn Family should be going to camp at New Wine – Central and South East at the Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallett. What an amazing week. How are we so certain that God wanted us to be there? Well we entered a competition in the April edition ofThe Door and we won a family ticket. Nicky Gumbel described New Wine as being like a “foretaste of heaven” but was sure that Heaven would have better toilet and shower facilities. Actually, they weren’t quite as bad as friends had led us to expect, although the central ‘Shower Court’ caught us out, being one of the show ground facilities for showering the cattle. New Wine was fantastic providing a much needed spiritual lift with lots of good solid teaching, great children’s groups covering all ages, pastoral prayer, food court, market place (with bookstalls and many other offerings for shopaholics), and a medical service where advice and treatment is given followed by prayer. On arrival we were welcomed by our village host who helped us find a place to pitch our tent and then offered us a very welcome hot drink. From the area outside our tent we had many moments
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Front are Charles (left) and Alistair Washbourn with friends Jackie, Mark, Wilhelm, Pat, and Louisa. Pic by Karen Washbourn.
drinking and eating whilst contemplating the wonderful scene and seeing God in creation. Charles (our son aged 8) registered for Rock Solid and happily joined in all the varied activities during the week. The rock band and drama were highlights for him. The other youth sections were also completely rocking and a real inspiration for future growth. There was plenty for those involved in church growth. For example, one speaker’s wife had a vision to weigh babies at church during the week. The speaker could not see the reasoning or the end game but trusted his wife and let her go ahead with the vision. The wife involved local health visitors
and offered the church as a meeting place to weigh babies. With coffee provided, 90 mums regularly attend and some go on to Alpha and become church members. There was a recurring theme of ‘Freedom of Control’ — communicate the vision, become trusting in execution and pray for positive outcomes. After such a great week it was hard to leave, however it was easier with the knowledge that we plan to return to New Wine in 2011. Thanks again to The Door and to New Wine for such a memorable week. Karen, Alistair and Charles Washbourn. The Washbourns live in Henley and worship at Holy Trinity, Henley.
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Ruth Reavley’s A to Z of New Wine LAST year our daughter Lizzie went to New Wine with friends and came back saying: “We’ve all got to go next year.” So my husband Cedric, associate clergy at St John the Baptist Burford and a full-time pharmacist, Lizzie, and David, 14, joined a 35-strong group from our parish. Between us, we have done parish weekends away and occasional church conferences, but nothing like this. Affirmation – the reassurance that we are all on journeys, that there’s loads of ways to travel, that paths differ and that New Wine has loads to offer. Bands – lots of them, leading worship, doing gigs. Children’s/Teenagers’ programme – Gems, Boulder Gang, Club One, Thirst… Masses of coloured t-shirted leaders and pastors, happy teenagers and children Day off – on Wednesday when people went exploring the local area. We mooched and chatted. Evangelical – was the flavour throughout. Early morning bible study for the larks. We owls went for evening socials with our pairsh, and didn’t burn
the candle at both ends. Friendships – Lots of time to chat with the family and the parish group. Lots of one to one and small group conversations, and quite a bit of mentoring between adults and teenagers – and the wise words weren’t always from the older to the younger… Getting to events on time – essential. Be half an hour early for the more popular events. Holy Spirit – evident often in responses at the end of morning worship and teaching and the end of evening celebrations and talks. The ministry team was huge and no one was left unsupported. No one was left unchanged either. Ice Block exchange – meant we could do the serious food preparation at home, bring it frozen and keep our food and the white wine cool. Jokes – the hallmark of a speaker at ease. Kindness – was apparent everywhere along with respect for differences of taste, opinion, lifestyle, music and privacy. Love Offerings (with a Gift Aid option) gave us the chance to join in social justice work and support the bursary fund, which enables people from disadvantaged urban churches to attend could anyone you know benefit? Marketplace – bookstalls, CDs, charities, paintings, camping kit, clothing and lots more. Next time – could it be you? Outstanding – I’m an administrator and
I’d give the admin team who put this event together an ‘Outstanding’ rosette. Prayer shed – a place dedicated to space and stillness – not a lot of that to be had at New Wine, so it’s precious. Quiet – from midnight, until 8am Radio New Wine – don’t get out of your sleeping bag and still hear worship, talks, interviews and music Speakers – from the globally celebrated to the just-starting-out, men and women, multi-national, young and not so young, offering 120 seminars on nine themes – fantastic choice! Teams – the ones who cleaned the loos and showers were my heros. Unstoppable! – the theme for this year, with everything giving you the means to live in the belief that God is unstoppable. Venues – One and Two and the Big Top Tent. Stick with one for the morning worship and talks as they are a series, but otherwise pick and choose. Worship – with thousands of other people was a moving experience. X Marks the spot – I’ve come away with quite a few spots that have been hit, and that’s as someone who wouldn’t usually consider herself an evangelical. Yes – we’re going again in 2011 – and thinking together about how to make it possible for others to come – encouragement, publicising the dates (31 July – 6 August for the Oxford Diocese), funding, tents and kit pooling/loans. Zealous for the Lord – how New Wine wants you to be. Photo: St John’s Burford
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